Examining a Photograph

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The Content of the Image

1. What do you see in this photograph?
2. What is happening in the photograph?
3. What clues or parts of the photograph back-up your comments?

Digging Deeper

1. Where do you think the photograph was taken?
2. When do you think the photograph was taken?
3. Is there anything in the photograph that can suggest what was going on during the time it was taken?
4. Why do you think the photographer was interested in this image?
5. What message do you think the photographer was trying to communicate?

Questioning the Image

1. What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?
2. Identify three things that you might infer from the photograph.
3. How could you answer these questions?

Getting Creative

1. Which character in the photograph would you be?
2. Tell the story of your character. Why are you there? What are your thoughts?
3. Create a title for the photograph.

A Visual Test

1. Close your eyes.
2. Open your eyes and look at the photograph.
3. What part of the photograph first attracts your attention?


Analyzing Photographs Links

Photograph Analysis Worksheet
Viewing Photographs
Photo Analysis Guide
Hidden Object Games
What's Going on in This Picture? The New York Times
Primary Sources and Bloom's Taxonomy

Classroom Activity for Analyzing Photographs

1. Give each student a photograph.
2. Put students in pairs and have them describe to their partner what they see in the picture.